How Many Bolivian Rams should I get for my 65 gallon tank?

This is a discussion on How Many Bolivian Rams should I get for my 65 gallon tank? within the Cichlids forums, part of the Freshwater and Tropical Fish category; -->
How many Bolivian Rams can I put in my 65 gallon tank?
I currently have the following in my tank right now:
10 cardinal ...

On a side note: Be careful with the Seprea Tetra there; they're GREAT fin nippers. Its often suggested that it'll lessen when housed in larger groups. For my guys it didn't work and they REALLY had to go back to the store so give that an extra thought if you wanna have a peaceful tank.
For the 3 Panda Cory's I'd really encourage you to at least get 8 if not more. They do soooo much better in bigger groups and 3 really isn't enough and you have the room for them so why not do it?

I agree with more Corydoras. And if you like the panda (I assume you do), more C. panda would be ideal, as this is one species that in my experience really likes to shoal around together. Some species will shoal with other species, but these seem to prefer their own kind, and 7 or 8 would be good for them and you, they are quite entertaining.

As for the Bolivian Ram, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, this is one dwarf cichlid that does very well individually. It is believed to live in solitude apart from breeding, which means each fish on its own, not together in groups. This observation has been made in its natural habitat in the Rio Mamore basin in eastern Bolivia. I have one beautiful male that is doing very well in my 115g., and I have previously kept single fish. Males are territorial, and provided they have enough space for separate territories (arrangements of wood and plants provide this) they would be OK, just pushing each other from time to time; a pair (male and female) would be better, though it is difficult to discern sexes in young fish; as they mature, the caudal fin extensions become elongated on males quite noticeably compared to females.

My recommendation, given your existing setup, would be one Ram and a few more corys.

I am planning to get more panda cories. I intially bought 8 of them right after my tank cylcled last year but unfortunately 5 of them died off one by one .

My Seprea Tetras have really calmed down since I added the 8 Panda Tetras for some reason, which I am greatful for. They actually only chase each other around every now and then instead of all the time as they did before. The Panda Tetras are some active little guys and I think the Seprea Tetras are actually a little afraid of them

I didn't know that Bolivian Rams do okay by themselves. I had some people tell me that they do best in groups of 5 and that I should add 5 of them to my tank. Needless to say I didn't agree with that because I think 5 would be way too many so I decided to ask here and see what response I would get. I like these responses better

It's is a fact that in spite of being commercially tank-raised, Corydoras panda is still a highly sensitive species among corys. In new tanks they rarely survive, so having 3 of 8 make it is good in itself, assuming this was a new tank or relatively new. Tanks that are established, say 3+ months, are a safer bet. Corydoras still need careful handling; they do not adapt well to fluctuating parameters such as occur frequently in newer tanks. My present pandas came when the tank was 3-4 months established, and they are fine. Never buy them from a store if they have come in less than a week, preferably 2-3 weeks; they do not travel well, and often die within a couple weeks of being shipped. They are highly sensitive to ammonia in shipping bags and suffer internal problems that may only cause death later. If they are looking good in the store, and have been there for a couple weeks, they are more likely to adjust to your tank.

I am glad that three of my panda cories did survive out of the eight. It's been about a year since I set up my tank so it's definitely time for me to add some more pandas to my group. They are my favorite fish in the tank because I just love how they are always playing leap frog over each other. They really do stick together and I really like that about them. I just crack up laughing when I see them swim up and down the glass. But sometimes it makes me tired just looking at them. I wish I had half the energy that they do.